1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a device and method for gripping a writing implement and learning correct penmanship, and in particular, to a device which slides over a writing implement and aids in aligning an individual's fingers into proper orientation for holding a writing implement. The gripping aid is durable due to the one piece design, economical to produce, easy to use and has no sharp edges or rigid members.
2. Description of the Related Art
Children should be prepared to learn from the first day of school, knowing how to write and properly hold a writing implement is an important step in a child's educational development. Specifically, writing will be an important skill from first-grade through college and throughout adulthood. In addition to scholastic importance, coloring, drawing and writing allow a child to enjoy self-expression and become more self-reliant.
Children often start coloring at a very early age and may spend endless hours coloring and learning to draw. Coloring can be an especially important activity for preschool and very young children. Specifically, young children need materials and activities through which they can express their ideas and feelings which do not have a "predetermined" outcome. They need creative materials which by their nature, are nonrestrictive. Therefore, parents should and often do encourage their young children to draw and attempt coloring activities. However, there can be disadvantages to a child attempting to draw or color at too early an age. While a toddler may have expressed an interest in coloring activities this does not mean the child has the manual dexterity, coordination nor physical strength to properly hold a writing implement such as a crayon. Therefore, in order to draw, a child will grasp a crayon in an incorrect manner.
By the time a child attains the interest, coordination skills and physical strength needed to begin writing properly, they have established and reinforced poor habits of how to hold a crayon or pencil. Incorrect practices for holding a coloring or writing implement can be observed in children as young as 21/2 years old. Young children tend to incorrectly hold their coloring/writing implement in several distinct ways, most notably they clutch the barrel of the writing implement in their fist, exert unnecessary downward pressure and move the entirety of their arm in an exaggerated motion.
While this grip may seem comfortable to a young child, and enables a child to color, continued use of this type of grip can not only impede learning correct penmanship but cause premature wear and tear on crayons. When a young child clutches a crayon in his fist, rather than in a proper grip, there is a tendency for the child to exert too much downward pressure. As a result the crayon wears quickly and unevenly or breaks into small pieces.
Given the importance of a proper grip and writing technique to successful writing, numerous attempts have been made over the years to perfect a device to aid in the proper positioning of an individual's fingers upon a writing implement. Generally speaking, these devices have either been for writing aids which provide a "gripping surface" into which the user presses his fingers or writing aids which include a "sleeve" which encase one or more of the digits of the user. However, devices utilizing either of these approaches have inherent drawbacks which have prevented their acceptance.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,416,953 (Tizio) teaches a metal guide holder for writing instruments. Specifically, the device of Tizio comprises a sheet metal body having a annular coil for engaging about one's finger which connects at right angles with a section having tubular socket for engaging a pencil or other writing implement. While it is intended that the middle finger (hereinafter third finger) of the user's hand engages through the annular coil, there is no mechanism to properly orient the user's thumb or index (hereinafter second) finger. Additionally, the device of Tizio is manufactured of metal and includes sharp angles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,345 to Gershon teaches a writing aid for both left and right-handed persons. The device of Gershon includes a central section having a first side and a second opposite side and a means which receives and hold an elongated writing instrument between the first and second sides. A first sleeve is attached to the central section and defines a finger-receiving first pocket. Similarly, a second sleeve is attached to the second side of the central section and defines a second finger receiving pocket.
The sleeves and associated pockets are configured and dimensioned to be angularly offset with respect to one another in such a manner that the user's thumb may be inserted into one of the finger-receiving pockets and the user's index finger may be inserted into the other finger-receiving pockets. However, the device to Gershon is too complex for a young child to comprehend the proper orientation of the device upon a writing implement, only positions the thumb and index fingers without orienting the remaining fingers, and prevents the user from having any physical contact with the writing implement itself.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,019,769 to Ballard teaches a writing aid which seeks to "improve writing" by immobilizing the fingers of the user. The device of Ballard comprises a cylindrical plastic sleeve which slidably receives a writing instrument and comprises rearwardly divergent thumb and index finger stalls which are formed integrally with the plastic sleeve. The stalls are provided with cavities shaped to received the end of the thumb and the end of the index finger of the writer. Additionally, the cylindrical plastic sleeve has a metallic liner mounted in the sleeve comprising anchoring teeth which are adapted to bite into the writing instrument. The device to Ballard contains metal components, is too complex for a young child to comprehend the proper orientation of the device upon a writing implement, only positions the thumb and index fingers without orienting the remaining fingers, and prevents the user from having any physical contact with the writing implement itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,702,660 to Mockel teaches a device which is designed to ensure proper finger-position for writing. The device of Mockel is not directly connected with the writing implement, rather the device is intended to retain only the fingers in a determined position. The device of Mockel consists of an adjustable sleeve, this sleeve is pushed over the second finger of the user, and serves as a "carrier" for an S-shaped clamp. One hook-shaped end of the clamp is designed to be placed over the third finger while the other end serves as support for the thumb. In use, the writing instrument rests freely between the tip of the thumb and the second and third fingers. The device of Mockel contains sharp edges, is structurally complex and does not educate the user how to properly support the writing instrument upon the third finger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,604 to Rusk exemplifies an alternative approach to orienting an individual's grip upon a writing instrument. The device of Rusk includes a body having a central bore for receiving the writing instrument and an exterior surface having three arcuate gripping surfaces positioned for receiving the users first, second and third fingers. Additionally, the device of Rusk includes a upper and lower arcuate gripping rings formed on the cylindrical wall which are provided for gripping a pencil. In use, an individual places the device anywhere along the barrel portion of a writing implement and positions their fingers upon the gripping surfaces. The device of Rusk provides no support to retain the third finger in proper orientation and does not permit the user any direct contact with the writing implement. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,347 (Hoyle) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,463 (Ponzil et al.).
Simply stated, devices currently available to "teach" proper writing technique are largely intended for adult use rather than pre-school aged children. A parent wishing to help their child learn proper finger placement on a writing implement, utilizing the writing aids currently available, would be required to constantly monitor the child to ensure the child's safety and that the child's fingers had not "slipped" from the writing implement.
In order to prevent children establishing bad habits while using a writing implement, it is important to teach and reinforce the skill of properly holding and using a writing implement from the moment a child first picks up and uses a crayon even though the child may not have the physical strength or coordination for the task. For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a simple, flexible device which aligns a user's fingers into a proper writing position.